Started taking a Combat scoop before morning swim

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fishgutzy
fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
In the past, I didn't eat anything prior to my 5AM swim.
I decided to try drinking a scoop of Combat protein with water before I leave the house. This is about 30 to 40 minutes before I hit the pool.
Today might not be a good day to compare to swims before doing this because it was also the first good night of sleep since returning to this side of the clock from China time.
But today I had the energy and desire to push a little further. 7050 yards swim instead of my usual 6000. Why 7050? Because 141 laps is 10 yards over 4 miles. :)
I have switches the Combat from Cytosport because Combat has more different protein types as well as glutamine and BCAA's. And the calories are all burned from that scoop by lap 15.
I'll keep this up and see if this holds. Also planning some longer pool swims as well. 5 mile (176 laps exact in 25 yard pool) 10km (219) and eventually a 10 mile (352 lap) before the end of summer, assuming a China trip doesn't mess that up.

What do any of you do, if anything, to fuel up for a swim when there is little time?
Weekends I have more time because the Y opens later.

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  • Kida_Adeylne
    Kida_Adeylne Posts: 201 Member
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    Thursday mornings for Open water coaching I've taken to having toast with peanut-butter and a glass of milk - I can prepare that half asleep and eat it in the car. And my coach made sure to tell us that we should have a small meal before coming, even though it is an ungodly hour to be eating.
  • LauraRae2
    LauraRae2 Posts: 107 Member
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    For me it's usually a yogurt (I have an unhealthy love for Chobani Flips), Luna/Clif/Kind bar, hard boiled egg or cottage cheese in the car as I make the mad dash from work to the pool. Now that it's summer (teacher schedule!), I can do whatever I want, but I still tend to do some sort of small protein snack before I swim and then real breakfast when I get back.
  • Macstraw
    Macstraw Posts: 896 Member
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    Small bowl of Cheerios before I go, whole wheat toast with peanut butter when I get back....
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
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    2 scoops today. Not sure if that is what kicked in at lap 120 for a burst. :)
  • mpeters1965
    mpeters1965 Posts: 370 Member
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    I always scramble up two eggs to eat before swimming in the morning but in a pinch, we usually have hard boiled eggs in the refrigerator. I am truly a morning person (gross, I know!) and have been making eggs before swimming for the last 10 years so it doesn't take much thought. The protein helps keep me going and sits well in my stomach. Cereal/oatmeal tends to give me reflux when I swim. I'm not sure about an energy boost because I am swimming 2000 yds instead of 6000-7000 but I can't swim for an hour without eating. Sounds like your plan is working though.
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
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    but I can't swim for an hour without eating. Sounds like your plan is working though.
    I still have a lot of stored energy to burn off. If I ever to get to my goal of 180# 10%BFP, I'll probably need to do some mid swim refueling with something that assimilates fast.
    But for now, I don't even feel the slightest twinge of hunger until after the 6000 yard point. I have done a 10K without refuel but when those are planned I have a nice 1200+ calorie breakfast of home made no junk waffles, eggs, Neese's sausage peppers, onions and a habñero a couple hours before starting. I does break my carb metric for that day but I burn about 2400 kCal in 10km.
    My 4 mile swim is about 1500. By the time I get to the office I'm already at -1200 for the day :)